Bush Vetoes Farm Bill

George Bush vetoed the Farm Bill today ... just like John McCain wanted. Bush -- McCain ... always the same. Meanwhile, we've been getting some comments that skipped our usual blog system, so this is to share one whose perspective by "MRA Reader, Nelson" seems particularly relevant since it makes clear the difficulties of trying to talk budget sense with the White House.

"President Bush's threat to veto the Farm Bill because it is too expensive is ironic.

"Why ironic ? Well, not just because the President's motives are really political. After seven-and-one-half years, no one is going to buy the argument that this President is concerned about the cost of anything that he sticks the taxpayers with. Compare, for example, the cost of this Farm Bill to the price that Americans are paying for the Iraq War.

"Rather it is ironic because the threat of a veto actually raised the price tag that the Farm Bill must carry.

"Quite a few months ago a Congressional majority (mostly democrats, but plenty of Republicans, also) more or less had the outline of a Farm Bill that they believed the country needed. But, plenty of Republicans (and more than a few Democrats) were denied goodies for their constituents. So, these "exclude-niks" sent their constituents' lobbyists to the White House to ask the President to please, please, pretty-please threaten a veto. The effect that a veto threat would have would be to force the Bill's managers to go back to the excluded Members and
agree to add costly goodies, thus "buying" those Members' votes.

"How many votes did they have to buy ? Why, the difference between a ordinary majority (50% plus 1 vote) and a super majority (two- thirds). That's a lot of votes -- and a lot of dollars. But, what's a few billion more or less to this President.

"So, after successfully jacking up the cost of the Farm Bill by a bag full o'billions (by issuing the threat during the negotiations), why did this President actually go ahead and veto the porker of a Farm Bill that he prodded Congress into creating when he knew that they would override the veto in a heart beat?

"Who knows ? Maybe the boy just wanted to have some fun!"

Nelson